Computing

The UPA government continues to deceive the public regarding the Hasan Ali case. It distorts the truth by omitting vital facts. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is not the only one to specialize in misleading the public through half-truths. Speaking half-truths seems to be an epidemic inflicting the entire Congress party. The latest outburst of half-truths erupted from Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.

The Maharashtra State government has suspended the police officer who made the recording of Hasan Ali in which the latter named the politicians with whom he had consorted. Hasan Ali was in police custody in relation to a forged passport case. Deputy Police Commissioner Ashok Deshbhratar obtained permission from his superiors to interrogate Hasan Ali even regarding his foreign bank accounts that were much talked about then although no criminal case had been filed against him. The recording prepared after the interrogation found its way in the Maharashtra Assembly when an opposition MLA laid it on the table of the House. Although named by Ali, Home Minister RR Patil vehemently denied that he had ever met him.

After the recent suspension of Ashok Deshbhratar for allegedly receiving bribes and attempting blackmail, CM Chavan said that the CD was doctored. He reiterated that Home Minister Patil had never met Hasan Ali. Thereby he justified the suspension of Deshbhratar from service. But the CM failed to speak the whole truth. The CD was tested by the forensic laboratory at Chandigarh . Its report revealed that the audio-visual pieces of interrogation were not inter-linked but joined together in sequence to appear as if they were part of continuous interrogation. But the forensic report confirmed that there was no dubbing, and that Hasan Ali uttered all the narrative which had been strung together.

Former DPC Deshbhratar claimed that he did this in order to present cohesive material for investigative leads related to money laundering. That is not all. The CID investigation of the alleged meetings of Hasan Ali confirmed that although there was no record of any meeting with Home Minister Patil, Hasan Ali indeed had conferred with Sonia Gandhi’s Political Secretary Ahmed Patel and former Maharashtra CM Vilasrao Deshmukh at the Juhu Centaur Hotel on March 15, 2008. So would one describe CM Prithviraj Chavan’s remarks as reflecting the truth?

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has confirmed that middle level politicians from Maharashtra, Andhra and Bihar had been named by Hasan Ali as his clients. Hasan Ali also confirmed to ED that his accounts in the United Bank of Switzerland (UBS) had been utilized to make transfers of huge money. ED has announced intention for a further probe abroad including Hasan Ali’s links with international arms dealer Adnan Kashogi. It should be amply clear by now that Hasan Ali is merely the facilitator for money transfers of politicians and criminals as a Hawala operator. He has most likely revealed less important names to ED as a warning to the powers-that-be to back off before he exposes bigger names.

The ED should not waste time. It should first of all release the names of those already revealed by Hasan Ali. This should be done to activate the named politicians to expose their higher bosses. Secondly ED with consent of the Supreme Court should offer Hasan Ali full amnesty as an approver provided he reveals the entire truth. Hasan Ali is not the problem. He is the ugly symptom of the problem. The problem is the enormous corruption that cannot exist without connivance at the very top of the political establishment. To really fight corruption the top must be exposed. The fountain head of corruption must be smashed. India cannot wait. Its government is paralyzed when there is urgent need for it to act domestically and internationally. Time is running out. Switzerland that profits from criminal money stashed in secret bank accounts should not be relied upon for assistance. Induce Hasan Ali to become approver.

Corruption has been spreading as a cancerous disease in our society. Its vicious circle needs to be broken at some point lest it would further lead to dismal fall in the deep pit. It is strange that big bureaucrats become part of this clumsy phenomenon and protect those who share the booty. It is the common man who suffers even after raising voice against corruption. It is high time that horse sense prevails to overcome this obnoxious phenomenon,Jasvinder Singh

jasvinder Singh04/08/2011

Fred, you really surprise me! Where in my article have I even remotely suggested that the Swiss banking system should be replicated in India? On the contrary I have stated that we should not rely on the Swiss banks to cooperate fully with the probe because they might be having vested interests. Perhaps you have confused my views with what a letter writer has suggested. Please do be a little more careful before passing comment. The views of all critics I am sure are taken seriously by viewers.

My Word03/27/2011

Is Mr.Puri suggesting that the Swiss banking system could be replicated in India?There is such a thing as convincing the public,already dubious about the culture of Indian enterprises, that international banking would be the next adventure!Why does every despot,tax avoider and criminal have money stashed in Swiss accounts?Because the Swiss have a culture steeped in secrecy,strict adherence to competent business practices,safety from political opportunists and the skills attained from servicing loyal customers for decades.No Rajinder,it is laudable to think outside the square,but for India the starting point would be to get domesticbanking on par with what is acceptable everywhere else.

Fred03/27/2011

We Indians are led by a bunch of squeamish, spineless people. I ask only one question, what was stopping the PM from taking action against the CWG scoundrels or the 2G thieves or the perpetrators of hundred other scams in the country. Nothing but himself and the trash he has got himself into. What we need are leaders who can stand on their own two feet and act as per their convictions. Perpetrators of crimes have to be held accountable and made to pay for their deeds. This is the only way and we all know it, no one has to elucidate.

Ravindra Dixit03/25/2011

What Kumud means is - If the concept of LEECH BANKING is undertaken, no Batcha will need to commit suicide.

Ravinder Malhotra03/24/2011

While agreeing to Mr. Puri's suggestion to make Hassan Ali an approver to help reveal the big names, I would like to add something that would appear to be wierd - out of the box thinking.

Since we Indians are so good at laundering ill gotten wealth and stashing it away in tax havens around the world, without anyone getting a whiff of it, why not think of tweaking our own banking system to make it into a tax haven for the ill gotton wealth of the world.

After all what have the swiss been doing all these years? They have been living off the ill gotton wealth of so many rich and mighty and scoundrels that abound around the world. I call it LEECH BANKING !

The advantages are so obvious.

1. India would be a preferred tourist destination.

2. No dearth of foreign exchange; no pawning gold to the Bank of London

3. Help downsize military spending; Since the influental Chinese and Pakistanis would also park their billions here.

4. We could utilize the expertise of so many of our sleezy politicians, bureaucrats and white collar criminals to help the government keep a watch ( Remember the movie ' Catch me if you can '

5. We would not have to depend on vague economic predictions and models dished out by the so called experts in our establishment - "Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing" The economy would be on auto pilot etc etc

Howz the idea Mr. Puri?

Ravinder Malhotra03/24/2011

I would like to remind Mr. Puri - only the other day Batcha committed suicide!